As stated by our mission, “Guided by the belief that every life is enriched by dance, we aspire to foster swing dancing around the world.”
The World Swing Dance Council and its member events are dedicated to providing a safe, joyful, and inclusive environment for dancers. All dancers are welcome, regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, physical appearance, body size, or religion. We do not tolerate any unwelcome or inappropriate behavior.
We encourage our member events to provide and post their own Code of Conduct. To assist our member events, links to several Code of Conduct examples are provided below.
We encourage our member events to provide and post their own Code of Conduct.
We believe that the world of dance and swing is a welcoming and socially supportive environment and that instances of inappropriate behavior are rare. We all have a responsibility to build safety into events and to contribute to the well-being of the dance community.
The nature of dance brings us close together with many people from all over the world. If you are subjected to unwelcome behavior and need assistance – or you are a parent/guardian, friend, confidant, or loved one of someone who has, it can be challenging to know how to help and proactively protect one another.
The first step for everyone is – if you see something, say something.
If someone is feeling threatened, intimidated or pressured by someone in or around the dance venue, we suggest the following steps:
If something has happened to you, you need to know that it is not your fault. Friends and acquaintances can provide assistance and guidance, but professional help or assistance should be sought in all circumstances.
For individuals, friends and family:
If you are someone who is experiencing distress (or you are helping someone who has) and you need additional support, the resources below can guide you to finding the right kind of help.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 800.656.HOPE(4673) rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800.273.8255 suicidepreventionlifeline.org
For event organizers, we suggest these resources and examples:
Code of Ethics resources:
Prevention Institute: preventioninstitute.org
Code of Conduct examples (see above)
The World Swing Dance Council promotes dance in over thirty countries and supports and encourages a safe dance environment for all.